| Show v. v r I f r F I i r u I S. S j fJ J CHAPTER CHAFTER X X Continued I I But But said Abbott It you von y U already beJ belong D to so somebody since sinco cc Mr Gregory I bas ban taken you into hi his home homo and heI heIs he ho hois is ono orio of the tho best men inca that over ever o Oh Oh l lots lets ts t's ro o home cried Fran im I patiently Lots Lets nil of or us skip out I of this chalky old ba basement smelly smeBy place and breathe the pure air ot of life Ute She Parted darted toward the door then looked back Sadness had hadan an vanished from her face to gho place to a sudden sudden sud sud- I den glow 0 The late Into afternoon sun sunI I shone full upon her and she held her its i in in- luh lashes Issues 6 apart quite quit by She seemed suddenly sud il illumined ii 11 not Dot only from without but from front WI within thin Abbott bbott sd seized cd his hat Robert Clinton Clin Gun ton tOD- bad had already snatched up his bis Jakoy Jako squeezed his bis cap in an au a agitated hand All 11 four hurried out into the han hall a as asif asit if it moved od by tho the same lame spring Unluckily as they thoy passed the han hall window Fran looked out H Her er e eyes es esre were veTo re eau caught ht by a group roup seated on the tho of the Clinton boarding house bouse Ibey were Miss Sapphira Clinton Miss Noir NOlT and several mothers sip- sip ph jt afternoon ten tea In rn nn an instant Frau Fran had grasped the plot That cloud of witnesses was ivan banked backed against a tho the green weather weather boarding to behold her heri i ignominy Clinton said l Frau all sweetness sweet sweet- ness all allurement II I I am going to nok of you a first first- favor I I left ft my andI and and- hat hit up in in Miss Mis Bulls Bull's room Toom I 1 will set get et it said Abbott p promptly LCm Leni me mel Jakc Jakey pleaded with 1 fino admiration Well T I rather ather guess not noll cried I Bob Think Ill I'll rc refuse Fran's Frans first request He sped d upstairs uncommonly monh light of foot I Sow whispered ran Fran wickedly CI lets J ts t's run rUD off oU and leavo Ic o him hilll Im with you Abbott whispered boyishly They The burst from front the building building- like a storm Fran Frau laughing musically Abbott laughing jo joyously Take Jakey Jau laughing loudest t of all sallied down the front walk under t e n artillery firo fire of hostile ho eyes from the green W veranda eranda They The co continued merry Jakey Takey even en swaggered in fancying himself a part of oft it t he lie regretted his short trousers When W ben Robert Clinton o overtook them he was was red and breathless ss but hut Fran's Frans beribboned bat hat was clutched triumphantly triumphantly triumph triumph- antly in jn his hie hand It was as ho who irrl- irrl discovered th tho ambuscade lIe Jle suddenly remembered looked across the I street t. t then fell woun wounded ed The shots would have passed unheeded cd I over Abbotts Abbott's head bad not Fran called bl his bis attention to tho the ambuscade I Its a a. good thin thing bing she said in innocently in I II that that youre you're ou re not holding my ban baud bandry and lud she be nodded toward the boarding house hous Abbott looked and turned for one ODe despairing glance at Bob the latter was T without eign of Ii life f e. e II What What shall ball we re e do doT do f inquired I I Fian 35 as the they halted ridi ridiculously ItI Tf It I we ye run for it it it'll make malto things f worse worp t Oh fOh Ob Lord yes ret groaned BobI Bob I. I Dont Don't make malte a boltl bolt Abbott pretended not to understand Como on ou Fran ran I shall t io o homo home with His fi fighting blood was up I Tu Iii hl his face was as no surrender not surrender noc not notto even r n to Grae Noir OiT Come he lie persisted per I with dl Ii I How f jolly joBy Fran Tran exclaimed t Shall liall we go gc q through h the groT rov f- f that's the he longest est way Then let us go 0 that way responded re Te p Abbott stubbornly t Abbott the school School director warned you'd better come conic on overto over overto overto I to my place place place-I'm Im I'm m going there this thiR instant in in- stant tant to to-to to to get et a a. cup cun of tea ten It'll bo ho t 1 be best for lor you OU ol old feU fellow ow va you von listen to tome tome me now now you you need a n little iUle cr erat a er-a- a acome t come a seine a little stimulant No Abbott returned definitely He Me Ie had ad done doone nothing wrong and he lie re resented rC rc- rc I 5 tented the ac accusing glances 1 n from across I the tIe way No No Im I'm I m going with I And u ont dout you ou bother ab about ut him Fran Frn called after tho the retreating chairman charman chair char m man of the be board hoard U hell he'll have stimulant lant enough CHAPTER XI II The N New w Bridge at Midnight I it was almost time for summer vac va va- a c cation Like all conscientious n- n teri of public schools Abbott bbott Ashton Ash Ash- sh tOt ton found tho the closing week c especially ing Examinations Examination were nerve I testing and correction of examination papers called for l lato to hours over the lamp Jamp At uch times when most niost need need- j inz sleep one s1 sleeps eps least Out One On strolls iroll Crous at hours houra devoted by others ethers t to slumber Abbott Ashton for forI I instance had fallen into tho the reprehensible ble habit of bolting from the tho boarding house after ater the tho last paper ha had been graded no matter how late lato lateT T tb tat night and aDd 1 making his wn way rapidly from town Own tas as ae if it to bathe his bis soul woul in 1 C country 1 Dby solitude Like all t bl bI ble ha habits ih this one was presently to reven revenue e by bv getting the professor professor sor lorU into trouble One ODe beautiful moonlight night ni ht he lie TrU STu nearing Hearing the tho suburbs when he I made mado a a. discovery cry The discovery was wast t first fint that the real leal causo cause of hit his nightly wanderings was not altogether alto alto- gether Rether ether a weariness of ot mental toil toU second sec see ond that he had f for r omo t-omo time been tY trying to escape from the thought of Fran He lie had not known this tM Ho lIe hail had limply run asking no o que questions It wa was when hen ho lio suddenly discovered Fran ill in th the flesh an as she aho slipped along a crooked alloy alley gliding in shadows that the he be of much cause sleeplessness was made tangible t Abbott bbott was greatly disturbed Why I Ibbott should Fran Finn be stealthily darting d-arting down downside side Bide alloys ll at at midnight T f The wonder I u st d it iu corollary why corollary why was he ho running as OB from Bome some intangible en Ho He realized cali cd that tb the Fran ran Franth th thought ht had been working in the under layers layer r of hI his mental all the tho flab his upper crust cruet bad ad busied it itself Jf with pith tJi rehearsals of o I Beyond tho the Alps Alpa Lie Liei Italy and tho the determination of madness madness' But now was WIlS no time for intros introspection tion and he set him- him iel self elf the the- task of solving ng the tho now nosy mys- mys t tery Ap Fran mor merged od from tho the mouth o of the aIle alley Abbott dived into int it Its Its' bowels but wi when eri he reached tho the Jert t tr et no no- no Fran was to bo be seen Had nad she darted into one ODe of the tho scat seat t fe cabins B n that the tho frn fringe c cIt of It At the mere thought h he felt feU It a a. nameless shrinking of or the heart Bur Surely ly not But she sio o possibly pos os t sibly lb ho hoever ever fleet of f foot ot ba Lav rounded the next corner before his bis coming into the tho J light lightf Ii Abbott sped along tho the street that ho bo might know the truth though ho he realized that the less ho bo saw raw of Fran tim the better However How now ever tho thought of her boia being alone in the tho outskirts of oe tho the village most assuredly without her guard guardians guardian's ans an's knowledge Deemed to call him bim to duty dut- dut Call or no call ll he ho went It seemed to him a long time be- be foro fore ho lie reached the tho corner corneT He darted around it it yonder s sped Fran liko Jilo a athin athin athin thin shadow lacin racing before the tho moon Sho She had taken tat the tho direction of the open fields ld and so swiftly did lid sh sho run that the sound of his biB pursuit never reached her ber cars oars She ran Abbott A ran It was WitS like a 3 foot race wit without out spectator At last she reached the bridge spanning span ning a ravine ri in who whoso c far depths mur inured a little stream Tho bridge was new built to replace tho the foot bridge upon which Abbott and ran Frau had stood on the Ute nj night ht of the t l tent te-nt meeting Was it possible that the superintendent of instruction instruction in in- was about to venture a second second sec see ond time across this ravIne with the same girl under the same sarno danger of misunderstanding revealed by similar simi simi- lar br glory lory of moonlight f One may inay may do even that when duty calls for cans for surely it was a duty to warn w rn this imprudent child to go o home homr Conscience co whis whispered whispered bis that it would not bo be enough h simpI simply sim sini- pI ply to warn i he should escort her to Hamilton Gregorys very door that he might know knoT sho she had been rescued from tho the wide white night Ji and his lis conscience con conscience science was wa possibly upheld by the l knowledge e that a advent of a aMiss aMiss aMiss Miss Sapphira was vas morally impossible Frans Fran's back bad had been toward him all the time She was still unaware of Jim his bis presence as 35 she paused in the middie middle mid mid- dIe dle of tho brid bridge e and with critical eye oyo sought a po mathematically the samo from either cither hand hnud rail Standing Standing Stand Stand- ing there sho Iho drew a package from her bosom hastily seated herself upon the boards and oblivious of surround surround- in lugs l bent over o the package as it rest rested cd ip in her lap Was Vas sli she reading some love 0 sick tick romance ro roo mance by moonlight bl or or-or or or possibly a aletter letter etter letteri Abbott without pause hurried up His feet sounded on ou the thc bridge Fran ran was speaking aloud and on that account did not hear him as he came Caine up behind her tI Grace Noir Nair she be was wag saying sayin saving Abbott Abbott bbott Ashton- Ashton Bob Clinton Hamilton Clinton Hamilton Gregory Gregory Mrs Gre Simon Gregory or Simon Jefferson Mrs Jefferson Jef ferson ferson- Miss ferson-Miss Miss ss Frau Sapphira-Frau Sapphira Frau the Devil Devil- Devil She seemed to be calling the hc roll of her acquaintances Va Was she the reading a list from the thc p package Abbott trod noisily the fresh pine pinc floor floo r. r Fran swiftly turned and the moonbeams moonbeams moon beams revealed l a flush yet she did diel not attempt to rise Why Wh didn't you ou answer answer an an- when hen you yau heard your name called she bc asked with a a good flood deal of C composure 0 re Fran Frau Abbott exclaimed mcd Here all an alone at midnight midnight all all alone Is IsIt Isit it t lossi possible bId No X o. o it isn't isn t possible ble Fran ic ic- turned s for T I have ha com coin pan pany Abbott warmly urged her to hasten hatten hattenback back bad home borne at the tame time he lie drew diew nearer and aud discovered that her lap was as covered co with playing cards his Ilia adi advice ad ad- i vice iCe e to her was waa all it should have been the most mOAt careful father could have found no fault with his hig helpful wor words s sall all all the tho same h he didn't un understand about those cards Fran Flan looking down listened with profound respectfulness and aud when he lie had bad fini finished bcd she said aid It is so 80 nice of you to care caro about me mo and worry over o what p people will think so 80 1711 go homo home with you OU just as ns soon as I tell the fortuno fortune of or the cards It wont won't take tako but A minute and Im I'm glad slad you ou came caine for fOl it was pretty scary here Sere alone I r tell youl The moon kept making big eyes ets at me mc and the brook sounded like a death call can down there therein in In the dark ark t But t But you rou mustn't stay stav here he said eaid imperatively Let Le LetIS u IS go at once II Just as soon spon as I tell teU tho the fortunes Of course I wouldn't go to all dl this trouble for nothing Now look This card is Fran the Fran tho queen arts This one is Simon Jefferson Jefferson and and this one is is Bob An And you but you but its it's no use use tell tell- in ing all of them Now wo we want ant to see seo who's going goins to marry Abbott spoke in his most authoritative ti tive 0 tone Fran Franl Get up and nd como come with mo mn before somebody sees ce you Jou here bere This is 8 not only ridiculous its it's wrong and dreadfully imprudent Fran looked up 1 with th flashing eyes oyes r HI I wont won't she sho h cried tJ Not till tin Ive I've told the fortunes Im I'm n t the girl irl to togo togo go oro away until she's done what sho she came to do Then she added mildly Abbott AlbOtt I just had hat to say i it in that voice Olce so you'd YO know Ino 1 I meant it it Dont Don't bo cross with me n Sho She the cards carlls I nut But why must you stay out here to todo todo I do it iU he ho groined groaned Because this is i's a new brid bridge e. e Id I'd hate to bo be a n professor and not know that it has hag to bo ho in the thc middle of a anew a anew new bridge at midnight ht over running water in the moonlight Now you keep still sun and bo be nice T I want to see aco who who's s going to get married Hero is Grace Noir and hero is s Fran Fran And And where here am I If asked Abbott in ill a sawed voice as ag he bent down own Fran Prall wouldn't wouldn t tell teU him He bent lower Oh HOh I sec see I Ilie sec cc ii drew drewa ho lie cried This is me me- me ho a card from tho the pack thc pack the the king of hearts Ho Ire held it up triumphantly Well And you yon aTe are the queen of hearts you ou said II Maybe I am am said Fran rather breathless breathlessly but whose whoso hearts aro are we weking weking king and queen That's what I want to find tind out And she hc showed her teeth at nt him We can draw and see he s sug sOg suggested sinking upon one knee t And I And and Im I'm yet f since youre you're the queen the king it must be bo each others other's hearts c tile IIo stopped abruptly at sight i ht of b h r crimsoned checks That doesn't always follow Fran told him hastily t not t not by any auy means menns For here ler aro are other queens See Se the queen of spades Maybe Maybo you'll get gether her Maybe Maybo you want her You see she either goes oes to you or to the next card But I dont don't want an any queen of spades Abbott declared He lIe drew the next card and exclaimed dramatically dramatically cally cany Saved Sn saved Heres Here's Bob Give Ghe her hor to Bob Dob Clinton II Ob Oh Oh Abbott Fran exclaimed looking at him with eyes and aud cheeks checks snaking making the most fascinating fasci picture ho he had ever beheld at mi midnight nl ht under a 1 silver moon Do you mean that Remember youre you're ona ona on ona a new brid bridge c over running water Abbott paused She looked I Iless less liko like a a. child than he be 10 had over cr seen seen her Her ifer hod body was very slight slight but but ht-but but buther I her face was It is marvelous how much of a womans woman's seriousness was to be bc found in this bin birl Sho be beseemed seemed inclined to give her words about the tho foolish cards a woman's womans sj sig Ho He rose with the tho consciousness conscious conscious- ness that for foi- foia a moment he be had bad rather for forgotten otten himself To fo be continued DANBURY Conn Dec 2 MIss Jilts Annette Annette An |
